Beyoncé's new HBO film: how might Life Is But a Dream play out?

Beyoncé promises a no-holds-barred look at her life. But who needs an HBO subscription when you have a blog and Google?

Beyonce's Life is But a Dream premieres on HBO on Saturday. The documentary will show the charmed life of one of the world's most recognizable celebrities.

But why do we need a documentary? Since Beyoncé is a woman who spends about 98% of her time in front of a camera – but who doesn't really tell us much about herself at all – we can make some very educated guesses about how exactly this documentary will play out. Save yourselves a $60 HBO subscription and read this outline:

Act I: Destiny's Favorite Child

Enter Tina Knowles, stage mom

Célestine Ann Beyincé, aka Tina Knowles, aka mother of Beyoncé and her decidedly not-favorite child Solange, gained notoriety in the 1990s as a ruthless "momager" and creator of some of the worst stage costumes ever stitched. Here's a photo of the first iteration of Destiny's Child, featuring former group mates LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett, though we have absolutely no idea who is who. If you have any idea, tell us in the comments:

We can guarantee Mother Knowles will be waxing poetic about her daughter's early musical genius, fashion sense, and golden voice gifted by God.

Beyoncé will say something slightly annoying about early divahood. Something like this:

Sometimes it's overwhelming. Why did God give me my talent, my gift, my family? But I know you're not supposed to question God.

Destiny's Lesser Children will speak

Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams will be repurposed once again and no doubt be given a few seconds to talk about how wonderful Beyoncé is. Hopefully the documentary's producers will have learned from the Super Bowl and have the good sense to have the lesser of Destiny's Children miked correctly.

Act II: Beyoncé: A Love Story (With Herself)

Let's just start here:

I've worked harder than probably anyone I know, at least in the music industry. So I just have to remind myself that I deserve it.

We all know how much Beyoncé thinks of Beyoncé, so there will be plenty of really flattering photos and video of her in her favorite natural states: Relaxed and Effortlessly Sexy, Being Sexy on Stage, Being Sexy on a Yacht with Husband Jay-Z, and Entering Sexy Motherhood.

Other looks: Sexy While Jet Skiing – a favorite, apparently:

And Sexy while Performing:

She'll also probably say things like this:

Right now, after giving birth, I really understand the power of my body. I just feel my body means something completely different. I feel a lot more confident about it. Even being heavier, thinner, whatever. I feel a lot more like a woman. More feminine, more sensual. And no shame.

Act III: The Others

After Beyoncé's world domination and self-satisfaction has been firmly established, we'll get a look at some of the other people in Bey's world, all of whom agree that she is the best.

Bey and Goopstress Gwyneth Paltrow are Tribeca's favorite BFFs on the scene. Their friendship is so secure that Gwyneth is allowed to dance embarrassingly on stage with Jay-Z in Bey's absence.

The doc will likely skip over the lanky Paltrow's moves and instead focus more on her saying things like this:

When she is working onstage, she has more power than any woman I've ever seen. She would never say it, and has never said it, but I feel she knows with every fiber of her being that she is the best in the world at her job.


Right, Gwyn. "She'd never say it" – she'd just direct and produce a multi-million dollar HBO exclusive documentary to honor her greatness.

We're also bound to see lots of clips like this:


With plenty of smooching and general adorableness between Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z. But you knew that already.

Act IV: Blue Ivy, Baby Bumps and Motherhood

After six hours of celebrating all things going Bey's way, we'll take an interlude to reflect on some of the more difficult challenges she's had to face (which obviously – spoiler alert! – turn out perfectly).

Even though she made it look easy, Beyoncé's road to motherhood was hard. There was a fake baby bump scandal and a painful miscarriage before Blue Ivy finally arrived.

When the much anticipated Carter child was born, so was the Blue Ivy Tumblr. The Tumblr was another example of Knowles savvy media strategy – give them all the photos they can handle and say next to nothing.

Fin.

Credits:

Director: Beyoncé Knowles
Head Writer: Beyoncé Knowles
Producer: Blue Ivy Carter
Lighting Director: Beyoncé Knowles
Costume Designer: Tina Knowles
Best Boy: Jay-Z
Assistant to Ms Knowles: Gwyneth Paltrow
Intern: Solange Knowles
Oprah: Oprah Winfrey

Contributors

Text Reader Listen to this page

Katie Rogers and Ruth Spencer

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
'The swag is limitless': why Beyoncé's Beychella Homecoming is so radical | Candice Carty-Williams
The singer’s Coachella concert documentary reveals her intimate humanity, celebrates the culture that built her, ousts stereotypes and redefines blackness

Candice Carty-Williams

18, Apr, 2019 @11:08 AM

Article image
Alanis Morissette criticises ‘salacious agenda’ of HBO film about her life
The singer has spoken about about Jagged, premiering at the Toronto film festival, for its ‘reductive take’ on her life

Benjamin Lee

14, Sep, 2021 @7:28 PM

Article image
Beyoncé's self-made documentary to screen on HBO in the new year
US network promises film will offer 'unprecedented access' to singer, incorporating backstage clips and her own home movies

Sean Michaels

27, Nov, 2012 @11:33 AM

Article image
Gimme celluloid: a history of Mick Jagger on film
Ahead of HBO’s rock drama Vinyl, which the Rolling Stones singer executive-produced, we take a look at his small screen and big screen exploits

Ashley Clark

08, Feb, 2016 @3:54 PM

Article image
Nate Parker and The Birth of a Nation lands six nominations at NAACP Image awards
Director of slave rebellion film shrugs off controversy to become joint leader – along with the Barry Jenkins-directed Moonlight – of the awards’ film section

Andrew Pulver

13, Dec, 2016 @5:35 PM

Article image
'We knew so little': the young film-makers who captured early quarantine life
HBO’s Covid Diaries NYC stitches together five documentary shorts by film-makers between 16-22, covering the dizzying, surreal first days of the pandemic

Adrian Horton

09, Mar, 2021 @2:51 PM

Article image
The 88 movies we're most excited about in 2015
Think 2014 was a good year for film? Think again. This year is shaping up to be one of the classics. Here’s what’s on our radar

Guardian Film

06, Jan, 2015 @3:23 PM

Article image
Viral video: Elton John, Beyoncé and Doctor Who
Bruno Mars at the Super Bowl, the return of Jason Bourne, House of Cards season 4 and Ewan McGregor’s tribute to David Bowie

Janette Owen

12, Feb, 2016 @9:13 AM

Article image
The Many Saints of Newark: first trailer for Sopranos prequel arrives
Film prequel to the landmark series, starring James Gandolfini’s son Michael as the young mobster, has revealed its first trailer

Adrian Horton

29, Jun, 2021 @5:30 PM

Article image
Game Of Thrones most popular among illegal downloaders
HBO drama is the most frequently illegally downloaded television show for the third year in a row, followed by AMC’s zombie hit The Walking Dead

Lanre Bakare

29, Dec, 2014 @5:51 PM